Naomi Campbell blasts fashion industry racism

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has accused several fashion designer, whom she has not named, of snubbing models from an ethnic background.

The 43-year-old insists some casting agents only want to hire white models and she fears the issue has worsened since she began her career in the industry more than 25 years ago.

Campbell, who co-founded the Diversity Coalition earlier this month to tackle racism in the fashion world, tells Britain’s Channel 4 News, “I’m saying the act of not choosing models of color is racist. So … we’re not calling them racist, we are saying the act is racist. … What we are asking for is that you are based on your talent, on your beauty, not on the color of your skin.”

Campbell insists only 15 percent of models who hit the catwalk during New York Fashion Week earlier this month were of black or Asian, but she appeared more optimistic about London Fashion Week, adding, “I think London will do the right thing.”